Do you know how many people who can give blood actually do?
Would you believe… 5 percent.
Do you know how often people in the United States need blood?
It’s estimated… every 2 seconds.
Those are the figures I ran across on Monday when I donated at the blood center located a mile and a half from my home.
Given those statistics, it’s no surprise there is a chronic blood shortage in our country and elsewhere in the world.
Donating blood is something I have done for years. Every four months or so, the folks at the center call me and ask me to come in. I’m always happy to do it and since my days off are Mondays and Tuesdays, it’s easy for me to do so.
On this particular day, workers at the center told me the red blood cells I gave would help two adult trauma victims or six infants in need. All for just an hour of my time.
The blood donation reminded me of the civic duties that are relatively effortless to perform but seem to be getting shoved to the side in our busy society.
It’s something I’d like to see our country return to and something I think Baby Boomers could help re-establish.
Many of us have some extra time now, especially those of us who have raised our children and those of us are either semi-retired or retired. In addition, there seems to be a desire percolating through our generation to return to our activism roots of the 1960s.
I suggest we act upon these inclinations. It would be refreshing to once again think less about ourselves and more about our society as a whole. And there are enough of us, so with concerted effort, we can steer the nation in that same direction. Simply by leading by example.
Giving blood is a good start. A flood of Baby Boomers heading to the blood centers would not only boost the sagging supply of that precious liquid; it also would set a precedent for the younger generations to follow.
However, let’s not stop there. We can ignite a movement of community betterment in many ways. We can do this on an individual level, on a daily basis, in some small yet effective ways.
*Return to citizenship. How quickly many of us have forgotten this lofty goal. It was a cornerstone of the youth movement of the 1960s. Let’s return to this mind set. Adopt a wider perspective, one with long-term sensibilities. A good first step is for Baby Boomers to start showing up at the polls again. Voting is the ultimate act of citizenship and we’ve done, at best, a mediocre job of it. Joining a neighborhood or volunteer effort wouldn't hurt either.
*Mentoring. We can all use advice and guidance, no matter what our age. But it seems the younger people in our society are almost crying out for it. This is a scary world to live in. Take the time to help someone from another generation through the twists, turns and bumps of life.
*Be well-mannered. There are an array of ways to exhibit this benevolent behavior. Perhaps the most important method is to address people politely, no matter how they are talking to you. It’s amazing how the quality of an exchange can change if one person adopts a cordial demeanor. Our conversations can morph from confrontational to civil. It wouldn't hurt to smile while we're practicing politeness. That seems to be a lost art in our civilization.
The list goes on and on. Taking care of the environment. Spending time with our elderly parents. Not littering. Picking up trash left by someone else. Opening the door for another person.
These suggestions might seem simplistic, maybe even naïve. But if we, as the largest generation in our country, adopt them, it could start a wave of humanism across our land.
A trip to the blood center might be the best way to start this journey. Help someone you don’t know and will never meet.
Help change our “me” society into a “we” society.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Boomers: We Need To Fix Social Security
Kathleen Casey-Kirschling is leading the charge.
One that might bankrupt this country if we don’t take action and change our attitude about retirement benefits.
Oh yes... and take a pay cut, too.
Starting now and starting with Casey-Kirschling. She is known as the “first Boomer” because she was born a couple seconds after midnight on Jan. 1, 1946, thus ushering in the Baby Boom generation.
On Monday, the retired school teacher from Maryland became the first person in her generation to file for Social Security benefits. She’ll start collecting her retirement paycheck from the federal government when she turns 62 on the first day of next year.
A flood of Boomers are following right behind her. It’s estimated 10,000 of us will become eligible for Social Security every day for the next two decades. In 2008 alone, 3.2 million people are expected to sign up. Eventually, it’s likely more than 70 million Boomers will be drawing Social Security checks.
The system’s Board of Trustees predicts that unless changes are made the Social Security program will go into debt in 2017 and become insolvent in 2041.
Casey-Kirschling is undeterred by those figures. She’s not waiting until she’s 65. She’s taking the early option at age 62. After filing she said, “I ‘m going to take it now because I can take it now. I’m thrilled to think that after all these years, I’m getting paid back the money I put in.”
Nothing against our retired school teacher, but I’m not sure I agree.
I think our nation has the wrong perception on Social Security. In fact, I think we’ve got it backward.
We view Social Security as a retirement fund we pay into so we can draw money out of it when we get older. However, I think it’s better if we view Social Security as a fund for the generation ahead of us. One we pay into to thank them for all those years they worked and took care of us.
That’s right, the money we have paid into the fund was really for our parents’ generation. It was to help the folks who survived the Great Depression and World War Two and then raised us during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Our retirement is being funded by the younger generations as a thank you to us for working for four decades and bringing them up. The only problem is this equation doesn’t add up.
There are 110 million members of Generations X and Y. There are 78 million of us. Right now, there are 3.3 workers paying into Social Security for every person drawing benefits. In 2031, it's estimated that ratio will be 2.1 workers for every beneficiary.
There simply won’t be enough younger people working to support all of us on Social Security and Medicare as well as pay taxes on the other programs vital to our country.
So, fellow Baby Boomers, it’s time to do the right thing. During the past two decades, we have let Social Security slide toward disaster without doing much about it.
We need to fix this fiscal train wreck and we need to do it by giving up some of what we’ve supposedly earned.
We need to cut our Social Security benefits, perhaps as much as 50 percent. And we need to raise the retirement age, maybe as high as 70.
It may seem unfair, but it’s the practical and the moral thing to do. We cannot accept all this Social Security money when we know it’s going to bankrupt the program.
We’re a smart, talented, resourceful generation. We can make this work.
Adopting this solution not only will save Social Security without raising taxes, it sets a gold star example for the rest of society. If we’re willing to sacrifice personally for the good of the nation as a whole, maybe that attitude will shift over into other segments of our communities.
What a concept. Putting others first.
It can start with the first Boomer and end with the last.
One that might bankrupt this country if we don’t take action and change our attitude about retirement benefits.
Oh yes... and take a pay cut, too.
Starting now and starting with Casey-Kirschling. She is known as the “first Boomer” because she was born a couple seconds after midnight on Jan. 1, 1946, thus ushering in the Baby Boom generation.
On Monday, the retired school teacher from Maryland became the first person in her generation to file for Social Security benefits. She’ll start collecting her retirement paycheck from the federal government when she turns 62 on the first day of next year.
A flood of Boomers are following right behind her. It’s estimated 10,000 of us will become eligible for Social Security every day for the next two decades. In 2008 alone, 3.2 million people are expected to sign up. Eventually, it’s likely more than 70 million Boomers will be drawing Social Security checks.
The system’s Board of Trustees predicts that unless changes are made the Social Security program will go into debt in 2017 and become insolvent in 2041.
Casey-Kirschling is undeterred by those figures. She’s not waiting until she’s 65. She’s taking the early option at age 62. After filing she said, “I ‘m going to take it now because I can take it now. I’m thrilled to think that after all these years, I’m getting paid back the money I put in.”
Nothing against our retired school teacher, but I’m not sure I agree.
I think our nation has the wrong perception on Social Security. In fact, I think we’ve got it backward.
We view Social Security as a retirement fund we pay into so we can draw money out of it when we get older. However, I think it’s better if we view Social Security as a fund for the generation ahead of us. One we pay into to thank them for all those years they worked and took care of us.
That’s right, the money we have paid into the fund was really for our parents’ generation. It was to help the folks who survived the Great Depression and World War Two and then raised us during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Our retirement is being funded by the younger generations as a thank you to us for working for four decades and bringing them up. The only problem is this equation doesn’t add up.
There are 110 million members of Generations X and Y. There are 78 million of us. Right now, there are 3.3 workers paying into Social Security for every person drawing benefits. In 2031, it's estimated that ratio will be 2.1 workers for every beneficiary.
There simply won’t be enough younger people working to support all of us on Social Security and Medicare as well as pay taxes on the other programs vital to our country.
So, fellow Baby Boomers, it’s time to do the right thing. During the past two decades, we have let Social Security slide toward disaster without doing much about it.
We need to fix this fiscal train wreck and we need to do it by giving up some of what we’ve supposedly earned.
We need to cut our Social Security benefits, perhaps as much as 50 percent. And we need to raise the retirement age, maybe as high as 70.
It may seem unfair, but it’s the practical and the moral thing to do. We cannot accept all this Social Security money when we know it’s going to bankrupt the program.
We’re a smart, talented, resourceful generation. We can make this work.
Adopting this solution not only will save Social Security without raising taxes, it sets a gold star example for the rest of society. If we’re willing to sacrifice personally for the good of the nation as a whole, maybe that attitude will shift over into other segments of our communities.
What a concept. Putting others first.
It can start with the first Boomer and end with the last.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Al Gore: A Long Journey
What happened to Al Gore in late 2000 might have destroyed a lesser person.
An incumbent vice president losing an election many people thought he was destined to win. Being denied the presidency of the United States, even though he received the most votes.
Having the job he sought his entire adult life slip through his fingers because of a few hundred disputed ballots in a state controlled by his opponent’s brother.
A heart-wrenching, frustrating defeat. Painfully dragged out for more than a month. All in the harsh glare of a public spotlight.
Yes, it might have crushed most people. Derailed forever their hope, their desire, their enthusiasm.
That didn’t happen to Al Gore. It took awhile, but the man from Tennessee used that defeat as a springboard -- launching into a campaign that resulted in the announcement today that he will share the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with a United Nations panel for their work in making the world aware of the dangers of global climate change.
You don’t have to like Al Gore to admire what he’s done. You don’t have to agree with his politics or his environmental stances. You don’t even have to concur with the Nobel committee’s decision to appreciate what he’s achieved.
Al Gore’s journey the past seven years is a travel log of inspiration. It’s a tale of perseverance. Of dedication.
It serves as a model for Baby Boomers who have entered the second half of their life. After all, he is one of us. A member of our generation who has risen from some pretty thick ashes. Without whining. Without complaining.
He has climbed to a new pinnacle. With dignity. With purpose. With some humor and with his eyes set on a loftier goal.
This was not an easy journey. When Al Gore finally conceded the 2000 election, he told the American public, “It is time for me to go.”
He did disappear. For a year or two, he faltered. He gained weight. He grew a scraggly beard. Like many of us in our 50s, he was lost. He didn’t know where to turn. What to grasp for, if anything.
But then he found his footing. He rediscovered a calling. One he had trumpeted when he was younger. A passion he had put aside when the ambition of his 40s ignited his ego.
Al Gore returned to his environmental roots. He began speaking about the changes happening to the Earth. Melting ice caps. Warming oceans. A disappearing ozone layer.
He put together a slide show. He hit the road. He not only told people what was happening but why they should care and what they could do about it.
When 2004 rolled along, Gore resisted temptation. He shoved aside the easily accessible emotions of jealously and revenge. He spared the country a destructive rematch of the 2000 campaign. He opted not to run again. He gave up his quest for the highest office in the land. He did so for the right reasons. And that decision set him free.
The chains that had restricted Gore were broken. You could see it in the way he talked. The way he reacted. He went on “Saturday Night Live” and made fun of himself. His interviews were still stiff, but there was a purity to them.
In 2006, the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” was released. It basically was Al Gore’s slide show on film. It struck a nerve. It brought concerns that were bubbling below the surface up to the forefront of public debate.
In February, the movie won an Oscar. In September, Gore picked up an Emmy for his Internet-based network, Current TV. And, on Oct. 12, 2007, Gore and the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. He’s the first American to win that award since former president Jimmy Carter in 2002.
Today was a day Al Gore certainly relished. However, he did not gloat. Gore didn’t even appear publicly until eight hours after the announcement. When he did, he didn’t brag about himself. He spoke about his mission and his plans to donate his half of the $1.5 million prize money to an environmental organization.
“We face a true planetary emergency,” he said. “The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity.”
Some speculate Gore will catapult from the Nobel award into the 2008 presidential race. That is unlikely to happen. There is no need for this lifelong politician to seek the White House. He’s been there and done that. He’s found a new quest.
For, Al Gore is still on his journey. A long one, to be sure. One that Baby Boomers can emulate. One that demonstrates how a member of an older generation can touch people of all ages. How a person can have an impact in a way they didn’t anticipate. Inspire others by using their experience, knowledge and long-lost passion.
Mostly, it shows how a person can overcome the biggest of disappointments. How someone can tumble to the bottom of a mountain, then pick themselves up and find another peak to climb.
“This is just the beginning,” Gore told reporters today.
It can be for all of us. Our generation still has 10,000 productive days ahead of us. Let’s reach for the heights obtained by our fellow Baby Boomer – the one holding the Nobel Peace Prize.
An incumbent vice president losing an election many people thought he was destined to win. Being denied the presidency of the United States, even though he received the most votes.
Having the job he sought his entire adult life slip through his fingers because of a few hundred disputed ballots in a state controlled by his opponent’s brother.
A heart-wrenching, frustrating defeat. Painfully dragged out for more than a month. All in the harsh glare of a public spotlight.
Yes, it might have crushed most people. Derailed forever their hope, their desire, their enthusiasm.
That didn’t happen to Al Gore. It took awhile, but the man from Tennessee used that defeat as a springboard -- launching into a campaign that resulted in the announcement today that he will share the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with a United Nations panel for their work in making the world aware of the dangers of global climate change.
You don’t have to like Al Gore to admire what he’s done. You don’t have to agree with his politics or his environmental stances. You don’t even have to concur with the Nobel committee’s decision to appreciate what he’s achieved.
Al Gore’s journey the past seven years is a travel log of inspiration. It’s a tale of perseverance. Of dedication.
It serves as a model for Baby Boomers who have entered the second half of their life. After all, he is one of us. A member of our generation who has risen from some pretty thick ashes. Without whining. Without complaining.
He has climbed to a new pinnacle. With dignity. With purpose. With some humor and with his eyes set on a loftier goal.
This was not an easy journey. When Al Gore finally conceded the 2000 election, he told the American public, “It is time for me to go.”
He did disappear. For a year or two, he faltered. He gained weight. He grew a scraggly beard. Like many of us in our 50s, he was lost. He didn’t know where to turn. What to grasp for, if anything.
But then he found his footing. He rediscovered a calling. One he had trumpeted when he was younger. A passion he had put aside when the ambition of his 40s ignited his ego.
Al Gore returned to his environmental roots. He began speaking about the changes happening to the Earth. Melting ice caps. Warming oceans. A disappearing ozone layer.
He put together a slide show. He hit the road. He not only told people what was happening but why they should care and what they could do about it.
When 2004 rolled along, Gore resisted temptation. He shoved aside the easily accessible emotions of jealously and revenge. He spared the country a destructive rematch of the 2000 campaign. He opted not to run again. He gave up his quest for the highest office in the land. He did so for the right reasons. And that decision set him free.
The chains that had restricted Gore were broken. You could see it in the way he talked. The way he reacted. He went on “Saturday Night Live” and made fun of himself. His interviews were still stiff, but there was a purity to them.
In 2006, the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” was released. It basically was Al Gore’s slide show on film. It struck a nerve. It brought concerns that were bubbling below the surface up to the forefront of public debate.
In February, the movie won an Oscar. In September, Gore picked up an Emmy for his Internet-based network, Current TV. And, on Oct. 12, 2007, Gore and the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. He’s the first American to win that award since former president Jimmy Carter in 2002.
Today was a day Al Gore certainly relished. However, he did not gloat. Gore didn’t even appear publicly until eight hours after the announcement. When he did, he didn’t brag about himself. He spoke about his mission and his plans to donate his half of the $1.5 million prize money to an environmental organization.
“We face a true planetary emergency,” he said. “The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity.”
Some speculate Gore will catapult from the Nobel award into the 2008 presidential race. That is unlikely to happen. There is no need for this lifelong politician to seek the White House. He’s been there and done that. He’s found a new quest.
For, Al Gore is still on his journey. A long one, to be sure. One that Baby Boomers can emulate. One that demonstrates how a member of an older generation can touch people of all ages. How a person can have an impact in a way they didn’t anticipate. Inspire others by using their experience, knowledge and long-lost passion.
Mostly, it shows how a person can overcome the biggest of disappointments. How someone can tumble to the bottom of a mountain, then pick themselves up and find another peak to climb.
“This is just the beginning,” Gore told reporters today.
It can be for all of us. Our generation still has 10,000 productive days ahead of us. Let’s reach for the heights obtained by our fellow Baby Boomer – the one holding the Nobel Peace Prize.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
A Walk To Remember
It was quite a sight. An inspiring, uplifting sight for a cause that can be depressing and overwhelmingly.
Last Saturday, more than 4,000 people walked 3 miles around the edge of Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay to raise money for research and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. When it was all said and done, “Memory Walk 2007” had brought in $1 million in donations to the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California.
Our family had 30 people walking with us. Not just family members. Friends. Co-workers. Friends of friends.
They joined us in support of Gary Roseme, my 59-year-old brother-in-law who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a year and a half ago. There are only 500,000 people in the United States under the age of 65 with this relentless disease and, unfortunately, Gary is one of them.
Yet, we are hopeful. He is participating in an outstanding treatment program at UC San Francisco, one of the best Alzheimer’s research facilities in the country. He has a remarkably upbeat attitude. And we have a far-reaching, deep support system.
That was evident on this sunny Saturday morning. Gary and his wife, Marcia, were flanked by their two children, their daughter-in-law, their granddaughter, their soon-to-be son-in-law, Marcia’s mother and older sister, my wife and I, our oldest daughter, our son-in-law and our grandson as well as friends, co-workers of Marcia, a couple of Mary and my fellow employees, their daughter-in-law’s family and my son-in-law’s sister.
A diverse and plentiful gathering. It was heartening and a reminder of the importance of family and friends in our complex, high-tech society. No matter how quickly e-mails fly or how easily you can download a program onto a small screen cupped in your hand, people need other people. They need people they can count on. People who will donate not so much their money but their time. People who will lend a helping hand and a listening ear.
Family. Friends. It is something Baby Boomers need to focus on as they travel through their next 10,000 days. We need to tighten the bonds of our families. It’s a circle that has unraveled as divorce rates climb and people move across country from each other. In prehistoric times, the older people in a village held their society together. They took care of the youngest members of the group. They counseled the parents of those youngsters. They offered sage advice to the community as a whole.
It’s something I certainly believe in. And practice. But this early October walk made it even more crystal clear.
The walk also reminded me of what may lurk in the future for our modern-day society. Especially if we don’t make changes in some of our institutions
Our society is aging, led by the 78 million members of the Baby Boom generation. It’s estimated the number of people over the age of 55 will increase from the current 60 million to 107 million by 2030. That group will represent 31 percent of the population as opposed to 21 percent now. In addition, the people who reach 65 who are expected to surpass the age of 90 is increasing dramatically. In 1960, 14 percent of United States citizens who hit 65 lived to be at least 90. That figure is now 25 percent.
The aging Baby Boomers could bankrupt our country, if they don’t take care of their health. Alzheimer’s alone could overwhelm our medical facilities. More than 5 million Americans are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. If this trend continues, 14 million people will have this debilitating and costly disease by 2050.
Remember in the 1960s when anti-war demonstrators told others, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” Well, when it comes to our country’s future, we are part, if not most, of the problem. So, Baby Boomers, let’s take on these challenges ourselves. Let’s fix them before the generations behind us are overwhelmed by them. Let’s be part of the solution.
Things like last Saturday’s walk are certainly a step in the right direction.
Last Saturday, more than 4,000 people walked 3 miles around the edge of Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay to raise money for research and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. When it was all said and done, “Memory Walk 2007” had brought in $1 million in donations to the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California.
Our family had 30 people walking with us. Not just family members. Friends. Co-workers. Friends of friends.
They joined us in support of Gary Roseme, my 59-year-old brother-in-law who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a year and a half ago. There are only 500,000 people in the United States under the age of 65 with this relentless disease and, unfortunately, Gary is one of them.
Yet, we are hopeful. He is participating in an outstanding treatment program at UC San Francisco, one of the best Alzheimer’s research facilities in the country. He has a remarkably upbeat attitude. And we have a far-reaching, deep support system.
That was evident on this sunny Saturday morning. Gary and his wife, Marcia, were flanked by their two children, their daughter-in-law, their granddaughter, their soon-to-be son-in-law, Marcia’s mother and older sister, my wife and I, our oldest daughter, our son-in-law and our grandson as well as friends, co-workers of Marcia, a couple of Mary and my fellow employees, their daughter-in-law’s family and my son-in-law’s sister.
A diverse and plentiful gathering. It was heartening and a reminder of the importance of family and friends in our complex, high-tech society. No matter how quickly e-mails fly or how easily you can download a program onto a small screen cupped in your hand, people need other people. They need people they can count on. People who will donate not so much their money but their time. People who will lend a helping hand and a listening ear.
Family. Friends. It is something Baby Boomers need to focus on as they travel through their next 10,000 days. We need to tighten the bonds of our families. It’s a circle that has unraveled as divorce rates climb and people move across country from each other. In prehistoric times, the older people in a village held their society together. They took care of the youngest members of the group. They counseled the parents of those youngsters. They offered sage advice to the community as a whole.
It’s something I certainly believe in. And practice. But this early October walk made it even more crystal clear.
The walk also reminded me of what may lurk in the future for our modern-day society. Especially if we don’t make changes in some of our institutions
Our society is aging, led by the 78 million members of the Baby Boom generation. It’s estimated the number of people over the age of 55 will increase from the current 60 million to 107 million by 2030. That group will represent 31 percent of the population as opposed to 21 percent now. In addition, the people who reach 65 who are expected to surpass the age of 90 is increasing dramatically. In 1960, 14 percent of United States citizens who hit 65 lived to be at least 90. That figure is now 25 percent.
The aging Baby Boomers could bankrupt our country, if they don’t take care of their health. Alzheimer’s alone could overwhelm our medical facilities. More than 5 million Americans are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. If this trend continues, 14 million people will have this debilitating and costly disease by 2050.
Remember in the 1960s when anti-war demonstrators told others, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” Well, when it comes to our country’s future, we are part, if not most, of the problem. So, Baby Boomers, let’s take on these challenges ourselves. Let’s fix them before the generations behind us are overwhelmed by them. Let’s be part of the solution.
Things like last Saturday’s walk are certainly a step in the right direction.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Volunteering: Find The Time
Baby Boomers, we want you.
That’s the call being put out to the post-World War Two generation as that group of 78 million people nears retirement age.
It’s a cry elicited by a variety of non-profit organizations as they seek ways to accomplish their volunteer mission in an era of government funding cuts and self-centered attitudes
These charities see Baby Boomers as their best hope. We are a large number of people with an activist past who show no signs of letting up as we cruise through our 50s and 60s. There is a restlessness rumbling through our generation’s soul. A feeling in our gut that we didn’t finish the job we started in our youth. A subterranean desire to step up as our children leave home and we slip out of the everyday work force. The shuffle board court is not in our future. Perhaps volunteering should be.
The need in our nation is great. Non-profit agencies need more help than ever. Yet, in 2005, less than one-third of American adults volunteered their time. With that in mind, the Corporation for National and Community Service has launched a campaign to increase the nation’s number of volunteers from 65 million to 75 million by 2010.
Not surprisingly, non-profit organizations are eyeing Baby Boomers as that army of the future. They expect the number of volunteers over the age of 65 to rise 50 percent by 2020. It could top out in 2029 when the youngest Boomers reach traditional retirement age.
So far, our generation is off to a good start. In December 2006, the community service corporation reported volunteering in the United States had reached a 30-year high, jumping 32 percent between 1989 and 2005. Baby Boomers are leading the charge. Almost 31 percent of Boomers between the ages of 46 and 57 are volunteering, the best percentage of any age group in the country.
In addition, Boomers and other older Americans are putting in more time once they do sign up. In 2006, the average volunteer over the age of 55 was donating 226 hours a year compared to 132 hours annually by volunteers aged 30 to 39.
Think of the good that could be done if we, as a generation, gave our time. Even if only 25 percent of Baby Boomers volunteered, that would be almost 20 million people helping others in need.
There is probably no greater need for volunteers than in education. Our schools have had their budgets slashed for two decades. Classrooms are overcrowded. Teachers are overwhelmed. Supplies are dwindling. Schools are desperate for assistance. A wave of older citizens marching to the rescue would be most welcome. In fact, I’d like to propose a “10 percent solution.” I’m calling on 10 percent of the Baby Boom generation to enlist. To volunteer at least two hours a week at one of their local schools. Imagine what nearly 8 million volunteers fanned out across the country could do for our nation’s schoolchildren.
I have begun to do my part. This week, I started volunteer efforts in the Emeryville School District a few miles from my home in the San Francisco Bay Area. I taught a 2-hour SAT prep class for six high school seniors who are hoping to score well enough on that assessment exam to get into a good college.
Emeryville schools are an inspiring story. In 2001, the district was bankrupt, taken over by a state administrator. Since then, the citizens and business owners have approved not one, but two, parcel tax measures for their schools. The district is now back on its financial feet and the community has regained local control.
Emeryville is a small city. There’s only two schools – a kindergarten through sixth-grade campus and a 7-12 secondary school. Only 38 seniors were in the 2007 graduating class. There are many low-income students who are on the edge of success. One helping hand or a few hours of mentorship could make the difference.
I’m hoping to provide that margin, at least to a handful of teen-agers. I urge my fellow Baby Boomers to do the same. Find an educational need and fill it.
President Kennedy challenged us to embark on such a mission in our childhood. In his 1961 inaugural address, he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” It is time to heed his call.
That’s the call being put out to the post-World War Two generation as that group of 78 million people nears retirement age.
It’s a cry elicited by a variety of non-profit organizations as they seek ways to accomplish their volunteer mission in an era of government funding cuts and self-centered attitudes
These charities see Baby Boomers as their best hope. We are a large number of people with an activist past who show no signs of letting up as we cruise through our 50s and 60s. There is a restlessness rumbling through our generation’s soul. A feeling in our gut that we didn’t finish the job we started in our youth. A subterranean desire to step up as our children leave home and we slip out of the everyday work force. The shuffle board court is not in our future. Perhaps volunteering should be.
The need in our nation is great. Non-profit agencies need more help than ever. Yet, in 2005, less than one-third of American adults volunteered their time. With that in mind, the Corporation for National and Community Service has launched a campaign to increase the nation’s number of volunteers from 65 million to 75 million by 2010.
Not surprisingly, non-profit organizations are eyeing Baby Boomers as that army of the future. They expect the number of volunteers over the age of 65 to rise 50 percent by 2020. It could top out in 2029 when the youngest Boomers reach traditional retirement age.
So far, our generation is off to a good start. In December 2006, the community service corporation reported volunteering in the United States had reached a 30-year high, jumping 32 percent between 1989 and 2005. Baby Boomers are leading the charge. Almost 31 percent of Boomers between the ages of 46 and 57 are volunteering, the best percentage of any age group in the country.
In addition, Boomers and other older Americans are putting in more time once they do sign up. In 2006, the average volunteer over the age of 55 was donating 226 hours a year compared to 132 hours annually by volunteers aged 30 to 39.
Think of the good that could be done if we, as a generation, gave our time. Even if only 25 percent of Baby Boomers volunteered, that would be almost 20 million people helping others in need.
There is probably no greater need for volunteers than in education. Our schools have had their budgets slashed for two decades. Classrooms are overcrowded. Teachers are overwhelmed. Supplies are dwindling. Schools are desperate for assistance. A wave of older citizens marching to the rescue would be most welcome. In fact, I’d like to propose a “10 percent solution.” I’m calling on 10 percent of the Baby Boom generation to enlist. To volunteer at least two hours a week at one of their local schools. Imagine what nearly 8 million volunteers fanned out across the country could do for our nation’s schoolchildren.
I have begun to do my part. This week, I started volunteer efforts in the Emeryville School District a few miles from my home in the San Francisco Bay Area. I taught a 2-hour SAT prep class for six high school seniors who are hoping to score well enough on that assessment exam to get into a good college.
Emeryville schools are an inspiring story. In 2001, the district was bankrupt, taken over by a state administrator. Since then, the citizens and business owners have approved not one, but two, parcel tax measures for their schools. The district is now back on its financial feet and the community has regained local control.
Emeryville is a small city. There’s only two schools – a kindergarten through sixth-grade campus and a 7-12 secondary school. Only 38 seniors were in the 2007 graduating class. There are many low-income students who are on the edge of success. One helping hand or a few hours of mentorship could make the difference.
I’m hoping to provide that margin, at least to a handful of teen-agers. I urge my fellow Baby Boomers to do the same. Find an educational need and fill it.
President Kennedy challenged us to embark on such a mission in our childhood. In his 1961 inaugural address, he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” It is time to heed his call.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Tuesdays With Shea
As I write this, my 15-month-old grandson sleeps in the room next door. He lies on his stomach in a portable crib, wearing a diaper and shirt. His eyes are comfortably closed and his Mickey Mouse doll rests at his side.
It’s the room where our youngest daughter slept as an infant. A room in the back corner of the house where both our daughters grew up.
It’s a scene I enjoy every Tuesday now. For I am not only a grandfather. I am a grandfather who is lucky enough to have his daughter, son-in-law and their son living a half-hour away.
Tuesday is a day I anticipate and relish. It's one of my two days off during the week and I take full advantage. When Shea is here, the everyday worries and concerns of work, bills and world events melt away. They fade into the background for a precious few hours.
Our routine every Tuesday is much the same as it was today. At 8:30am, I picked up Shea at his home. His father answered the door, holding his brown-haired, brown-eyed son. Shea had his “sippy cup,” his Mickey doll and the clothes on his back. He doesn’t need anything else. Our home has become a grandparents’ house with an adequate amount of diapers, toys and food a toddler can chew.
Shea and I drive here through the back roads. No need to get on a freeway today. We listen to Ray Charles, his favorite artist, and look for any big truck that might cruise by.
Our morning at G-Pa’s house begins with a dose of Sesame Street. We Tivo the show, so there is always one available. It’s been fun to get reacquainted with Grover, Ernie and Big Bird, the characters my children grew up with. It’s also been fun to get to know Elmo, Zoe and some of the folks who came along after our daughters stopped watching this educational and entertaining program.
Next, Shea and I move on to the back yard, where there are balls to throw and a sand box to play in. Then, it’s the toy room where he can look at books or stack some blocks.
Eventually, it’s to the front room where the c-d player sits. Like most of our family, Shea loves music. And he loves to dance. He also is a 21st century child, so, yes, he knows how to hit “play” to get the Motown disc spinning. His favorite is the first track -- “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” by The Temptations. The kid has taste.
After an hour at a nearby park, it’s time for lunch. A little outside play, then time to wind down for the nap. Shea sits on my lap with Mickey. We watch the last 20 minutes of Sesame Street. That’s when “Elmo’s World” hits the screen. At the show’s conclusion, Oscar The Grouch reads his pet worm, Slimey, a book and the tiny creature falls asleep.
Shea and I say “night-night” to a half-dozen items in the house. Then, it’s off to Dream Land for 90 minute in the portable crib in what is now the spare bedroom.
When Shea awakes, my wife, Mary, will be home from her job as a pre-school teacher. Mimi will want some one-on-one time, so G-Pa will hang out on the sidelines and watch with delight.
It’s a scenario I wish for every parent. The chance to play and enjoy your children’s children. To re-live the joys of child rearing without the heavy lifting of every-day parenting.
It’s something Baby Boomers should strive to achieve. If you are fortunate enough to have grandchildren, figure out a way to live within an hour of them. Whatever sacrifice you have to endure to make this happen, you will be repaid in spades with love, enjoyment and contentment.
This isn’t just for us either. Having grandparents nearby is good for parents and grandchildren alike.
In prehistoric times, grandparents played a vital role in the village. My friend, Sacramento State anthropology professor Gerry Drawhorn, tells me tribal elders filled three important jobs as historians, advisors and care-takers of the little ones. The hunter-and-gatherer parents were busy defending the village and collecting food. They relied on the grandparents to complete those other tasks.
In modern society, those functions have faded, but elders are still needed, possibly more now than they were a few decades ago. Baby Boomers can begin a transformation back to the extended family. For starters, we can retrieve the role of care-takers simply by being grandparents. By being there for our sometimes overworked and harried children. By being there for our grandchildren.
As for me, I’ll savor this day and then get ready for next Tuesday. That’s when Shea and I can have a few hours together… just the two of us.
It’s the room where our youngest daughter slept as an infant. A room in the back corner of the house where both our daughters grew up.
It’s a scene I enjoy every Tuesday now. For I am not only a grandfather. I am a grandfather who is lucky enough to have his daughter, son-in-law and their son living a half-hour away.
Tuesday is a day I anticipate and relish. It's one of my two days off during the week and I take full advantage. When Shea is here, the everyday worries and concerns of work, bills and world events melt away. They fade into the background for a precious few hours.
Our routine every Tuesday is much the same as it was today. At 8:30am, I picked up Shea at his home. His father answered the door, holding his brown-haired, brown-eyed son. Shea had his “sippy cup,” his Mickey doll and the clothes on his back. He doesn’t need anything else. Our home has become a grandparents’ house with an adequate amount of diapers, toys and food a toddler can chew.
Shea and I drive here through the back roads. No need to get on a freeway today. We listen to Ray Charles, his favorite artist, and look for any big truck that might cruise by.
Our morning at G-Pa’s house begins with a dose of Sesame Street. We Tivo the show, so there is always one available. It’s been fun to get reacquainted with Grover, Ernie and Big Bird, the characters my children grew up with. It’s also been fun to get to know Elmo, Zoe and some of the folks who came along after our daughters stopped watching this educational and entertaining program.
Next, Shea and I move on to the back yard, where there are balls to throw and a sand box to play in. Then, it’s the toy room where he can look at books or stack some blocks.
Eventually, it’s to the front room where the c-d player sits. Like most of our family, Shea loves music. And he loves to dance. He also is a 21st century child, so, yes, he knows how to hit “play” to get the Motown disc spinning. His favorite is the first track -- “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” by The Temptations. The kid has taste.
After an hour at a nearby park, it’s time for lunch. A little outside play, then time to wind down for the nap. Shea sits on my lap with Mickey. We watch the last 20 minutes of Sesame Street. That’s when “Elmo’s World” hits the screen. At the show’s conclusion, Oscar The Grouch reads his pet worm, Slimey, a book and the tiny creature falls asleep.
Shea and I say “night-night” to a half-dozen items in the house. Then, it’s off to Dream Land for 90 minute in the portable crib in what is now the spare bedroom.
When Shea awakes, my wife, Mary, will be home from her job as a pre-school teacher. Mimi will want some one-on-one time, so G-Pa will hang out on the sidelines and watch with delight.
It’s a scenario I wish for every parent. The chance to play and enjoy your children’s children. To re-live the joys of child rearing without the heavy lifting of every-day parenting.
It’s something Baby Boomers should strive to achieve. If you are fortunate enough to have grandchildren, figure out a way to live within an hour of them. Whatever sacrifice you have to endure to make this happen, you will be repaid in spades with love, enjoyment and contentment.
This isn’t just for us either. Having grandparents nearby is good for parents and grandchildren alike.
In prehistoric times, grandparents played a vital role in the village. My friend, Sacramento State anthropology professor Gerry Drawhorn, tells me tribal elders filled three important jobs as historians, advisors and care-takers of the little ones. The hunter-and-gatherer parents were busy defending the village and collecting food. They relied on the grandparents to complete those other tasks.
In modern society, those functions have faded, but elders are still needed, possibly more now than they were a few decades ago. Baby Boomers can begin a transformation back to the extended family. For starters, we can retrieve the role of care-takers simply by being grandparents. By being there for our sometimes overworked and harried children. By being there for our grandchildren.
As for me, I’ll savor this day and then get ready for next Tuesday. That’s when Shea and I can have a few hours together… just the two of us.
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